When Geely purchased a 49.9 percent stake in Proton from DRB-Hicom in 2017, the Chinese carmaker was upbeat about its goal to become the third largest automotive brand in the Southeast Asian ASEAN trade bloc by 2027. 5 years later, we are now at the midpoint of Geely’s 10-year goal for Proton. To the credit of the new team at Proton, the Malayan Tiger marque is now on a much stronger footing than it ever has since 2013. Proton ended 2022 with 141,432 cars delivered, up 23.3 percent from 2021, bu

Kia delivered 2,903,619 vehicles in 2022, up 4.6 percent from the year before despite facing strong headwinds due to the global shortage of semiconductor parts. Its top 3 best-sellers are SUVs. The Kia Sportage is its No.1 selling model worldwide, with 452,068 units delivered. This is followed by the Kia Seltos with 310,418 units, and the Kia Sorento with 222,570 units. These three SUV models contribute 33 percent of Kia’s global sales for 2022. The company did not reveal its sales figures for o

If you are looking for a drama-free car for you and your family, one that you don’t need to do much apart from pumping petrol and air (for the tyres), you can never go wrong with a Toyota. The merits of Toyota’s peace-of-mind ownership experience needs little introduction but as Malaysia’s benchmark for after-sales service and customer care, Toyota is not being complacent. Distributor UMW Toyota Motor has recently launched not one, not two, but three initiatives to retain its loyal customers. Th

The long-wheelbase 2021 Audi A7L has made its global debut in Auto Shanghai 2021. The Audi A7L will be made by SAIC-Volkswagen and complements the FAW-Volkswagen-made Audi A7. The Audi A7L measures 5,076 mm long (+100 mm) with a wheelbase measuring at 3,026 mm (+98 mm). It’s shorter than the Audi A8 in terms of overall length, but the A7L’s wheelbase is a tad longer (SWB Audi A8’s wheelbase measures 2,998 mm). The interior appears to be largely identical to the standard wheelbase model, save for

Remember how a few months back, we saw what felt like an endless barrage of new models and updates in the B-segment? Although most of the spotlight shone on the Proton X50, Mitsubishi Xpander, Nissan Almera, and Honda City, there were a few models that flew under the radar. The B-segment is quite a popular segment in Malaysia with lots of sizes and varieties. It appeals to many people too, from fresh grads to young families to those looking for a second car. In this article, we’ll take a look ba

As you know, the Mazda 3 comes in two body types, a sedan and a hatchback (which distributor Bermaz Auto prefers to call it a Liftback). Nameplates aside, the Mazda 3 family actually includes an SUV (or if you insist, crossover). The Mazda CX-30 is essentially a jacked up, shorter wheelbase version of the Mazda 3. Distance between the wheels is 70 mm shorter, with a 40 mm taller ground clearance. The shorter wheelbase also means that the CX-30 has less legroom in the rear than in the Mazda 3, it